If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

I wonder if Peggie Hall ever got over her prejudice against 'composting' heads? I read her book cover to cover, and was about to pull the trigger on a fancy (heavy, expensive, complicated) Pura-San system, then realized no-discharge means NO discharge, even treated discharge, at least around here, and in pristine waters we hoped to visit. Ended up learning a lot more about composting heads, then learned even more from experience, and at least the objections she had in her earlier edition, turned out to be non-issues for us. No, the fiber mix (cypress sawdust in our case, free, and pleasant) for drying solid waste didn't bring insect problems, no, the fiber didn't require huge storage space, (a shoebox holds many months' worth of compressed coir) no, the toilet itself wasn't an unwieldy space-hog, (ours is no bigger than a small home loo.) No, ours requires no fan, no ridiculously limiting and expensive heat, no special carpentry. Complete installation from unpacking the box to ready-for-use took less than 45 minutes, solo. No, we haven't had problems with disposal of used fiber, with difficulty in using the thing properly, or with keeping it clean and inoffensive. We found no difficulty swapping one gallon jug for an empty (free) one every night. Simplicity, for us, has turned out to be a very good, economical, and completely odor-free thing. And NO HOLDING TANK!! Turns out, all the dire warnings, and involved solutions in search of a problem, may have been based on opinions from those who sell complicated marine sewage treatment systems for a living. I know it's tacky to bite the Raritan hand that feeds one, but it would be interesting to see if Peggie ever updated that whole chapter of, as it turned out, incorrect information. She has a loyal following that believe every pearl of wisdom from her lips. Most of it is, no doubt, true, at least of the traditional flush-marine toilets, stink-saturated hoses, trouble-prone valves, and foul holding tanks, but once we gave C-Head a chance some years ago, we realized there's too much repeating of old-wives tales, and not enough first-hand and factual experience, at least in this case.

I don't suppose the technology has come very far at all from the old bucket-and-chuck-it days. People kept trying to make them much more complicated, bigger, heavier, and much more expensive than they had to be. Simple is GOOD. Ours is a basic, white C-Head, which was, when we bought it, four (?) years ago, $500, complete, and expertly packed. It's still in excellent shape, and we're even still using the original gallon jug that came with. Use, empty once a day, rinse, and re-use. (We're too cheap to invest in another gallon of water. ) The guy's website, www.c-head.com, has a wealth of information, many style and size choices. The owner is super easy to get hold of, answers questions frankly and with humor.

We have had a C-Head for a little over two years and its been great. Mostly its just two of us, has been 6 for the weekend with two kids under 6. We have no problems ,odor or mess of any kind. Its very simple and easy !